Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-08-12

A good many of the guests thought
'Caldo Mexieano' meant cold Mexican
and they were wondering how he would
be served. when little teaeups filled
with greasy soup were brought on.
Mexican soup is more ike the drippings
from roast beef than any thing else.
The proper way to get rid of tie soup
is TO drink It. The Mexicans did. The
American guests did not They smelled
1t and smiled.
Plates containing boiled rice mixed
With boiled carrots and hard-boiled
eggs chopped fine, were next. That
mixture was called "Arroz seco." The
rice was very red, having been stained
in the boiling by the carrots. Some
liked it. ''Tortillas" followed-a fat
corn cake that looked like pale board
ing-house buckwheat cakes, the kind
boarders in arrears usually get. The
tortillas were made of crushed corn,
which was ground into meal upstairs.
The process is to lay the corn on stone
and roll ii with stone bar until it be-
comes meal. The tortillas are baked
on little sheets od tin over charcoal
fires. The Mexicans rolled the cakes
up into rolls, first spreading salt on
thcm. Then they ate them much the
same as an American would nibble at
a alady-fngcr
"Puchero," which came next, was
made of fried cabbage, goat meat. fried
carrots and fried bananas, and is known
as ''Mexican-Irish stew.''
'Ensala'' was composed of lettuce
spread thickJy with sweet oil. Mixed in
the lettuce there were onions chopped
fine and good deal of garlic. Ac-
companying the salad on the same dish
was stewed veal stuffed with almonds.
There was dish served which was not
on the menu card. 1t was called
Chilli tiero." 1t is to MeXicans what
soft-shell crab is to an American.
Green peppers were followed out and
the shell was filled with chopped chicken
with a few raisins mixed in it. The
pepper was then dipped into batter and
fried in a pan of hot lard. This dish
was very much in favor. Every body
nearly took to the ''frijoles," chocolate
'colored beans. They were very tender
and were dressed with sauce that was
very platable. The "frijole" has quite
as great reputation in Mexico as the
baked bean has in Boston. The most
unique dish served was the 'famales,"
croquette made of corn meal, raisins,
nuts and fruits. It is boiled in corn
husk and looks a good deal like boiled
pigs foot at distance when removed
from the corn husk
'tMole de Guajolote." The mystery
Of turkey was fricasse of that bird
with vegetable gravy. The gravy was
principally hot fat and red pepper, and
every body who ate the gravy asked for
ice to soothe their burning tongues.
The Mexicans smiled and ate the gravy
with relish, dipping their bread in it.
The Mexican wine ''pulque'' was served
TO the guests In small wine glasses. 1t
looks like milk and tastes like bakers
yeast. It is to the Mexican what book
beer Is to the German. It is the juice
Of the maguey plant. a species of
century plant. The maguey plant takes
seven years to mature. At maturity it
Is about seven feet high. Then the
central stalk is cut off at the base and
the Juice of the plant is sucked
through gourd and carried off by the
natives in skins. The plant yields about
two gallons every day for two or three
months after the stalk is cut off and
then dies. The juice is put into jars in
dark cellars and allowed to ferment for
forty-eight hours. Then the pulque is
ready to drink. A Mexican can drink
four qnarts of it without becoming in
toxicated.
Very good chocolate in tiny cups
followed, with real Spanish cigarettes.
The Mexieans puffed the smoke through
their noses and their ears and out of
their eyes and smoked half q dozen
cigarettes in as many minutes, and
soon the table was covered with great
cloud of smoke and the dinner was over,
the Mexicans rising from their chairs
and bowing to the guests, and the
visitors mechanically initiating the
Mexicans. Philadelphia Times.